Deep Concerns Regarding NCCA’s Affiliation with the Gülen Movement

Gulen Movement / Letter to National Council on Civil Advocacy (NCCA)

Bilal Eksili -Executive Director , NCCA
National Council on Civil Advocacy (NCCA)
20F St. NW Suite 700 Washington D.C. 20001

Subject: Deep Concerns Regarding NCCA’s Affiliation with the Gülen Movement

Dear Bilal Eksili –  Members of the National Council on Civil Advocacy,

I write to you today with the utmost respect and in the spirit of open civic engagement, but also with profound concern. As a long-standing community activist and a voice within the Turkish-American community across America and the New York broader Tri-State area, I feel it is my duty to bring to your attention an issue of great consequence involving your organization’s apparent affiliation and cooperation with the Gülen movement—an entity officially recognized as a terrorist organization by our NATO ally, the Republic of Türkiye, as well as by numerous governments across the globe. First, it is important to note that the country’s name is no longer “Turkey,” but officially “Türkiye,” as recognized by the United Nations. Continued refusal to use this name reflects a lack of basic diplomatic respect toward the will of the Turkish people and government.

The movement, founded and directed by the now-deceased cleric Fethullah Gülen, presents itself as a civic initiative promoting education, interfaith dialogue, and humanitarianism under labels such as “Hizmet” or, in the United States, “Turkish Cultural Centers.” However, beneath this facade lies a deeply concerning record of covert political ambition, opaque financial structures, and active attempts to undermine sovereign institutions. The Government of Türkiye has issued detailed indictments against the Gülen network, charging its leadership with orchestrating a failed coup attempt in 2016 aimed at toppling the democratically elected government and destabilizing the secular foundations of the Republic. These charges are supported by extensive evidence pointing to the movement’s infiltration of judicial, military, and educational institutions—both in Türkiye and abroad—in an effort to establish a parallel power structure loyal to its leader, not the people or the constitution.

 Here in the United States, the Gülen movement operates dozens of charter schools under varying names, many of which have been subject to FBI raids as part of federal white-collar crime investigations. These schools have raised red flags for suspected visa fraud, improper use of public funds, and questionable hiring practices. The State of Ohio, to cite one example, has closed down all schools associated with the Gülen network due to these concerns. Investigative reports—including those by CBS 60 Minutes and the documentary Killing Ed—have documented these disturbing activities in detail.

 The fact remains that this group maintains billions of dollars in assets worldwide, with a highly centralized, unaccountable leadership structure. Internationally, many countries—including Japan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Member States,  Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC),and several European and Asian nations—have either banned or imposed severe restrictions on the organization’s operations, citing national security concerns.

 Closer to home, over 97 % of Turkish Americans, as well as a significant portion of Albanian Americans and other diaspora communities, strongly oppose this movement and urge American institutions not to offer it legitimacy or partnership. The community’s overwhelming consensus reflects not only geopolitical alignment with our NATO ally but also a deep moral and civic concern over the movement’s real objectives. It is in this context that I respectfully question the National Council on Civil Advocacy’s rationale for cooperating with, endorsing, or affiliating with an organization that has such a well-documented and troubling history. While the Gülen network may present itself as a benign force for interfaith understanding, its track record suggests otherwise. We must not be misled by appealing rhetoric that conceals authoritarian motives or seeks to launder reputations through civic platforms.

I urge the NCCA to conduct a transparent internal review of all current and former partnerships, particularly with those organizations and individuals aligned—either formally or informally—with the Gülen movement. Furthermore, I call on the NCCA to clarify its position publicly and reaffirm its commitment to transparency, pluralism, and democratic values free from association with any group that undermines them. The integrity of American civic life depends on public trust. That trust is eroded when advocacy organizations appear to embrace, or remain silent about, partnerships with actors who have sought to destabilize other democracies through clandestine and often illicit means. In light of the NCCA’s public mandate, I believe it is not only appropriate but imperative to demonstrate the highest standard of vigilance and ethical responsibility in your affiliations.

 Respectfully,

Ibrahim Kurtulus
Community Activist